Christ Church Parish has a long tradition of excellence in music.

CHRIST CHURCH CONCERT SERIES

Christ Church Concert Series is designed to promote and celebrate great music literature for the pipe organ and associated human voice and instrumental ensembles, while benefitting the outreach and inreach ministries at Christ Episcopal Church. Please see the Christ Church Concert Series page for information on our ongoing and upcoming events.

ORGAN MUSIC

We are thrilled about the new 31-rank American Classic style pipe organ which is being built for us by Kegg Pipe Organ Builders which was completed in the summer of 2008. This organ will give a warm, rich tone and will give us a magnificent musical resource for traditional Episcopal liturgical worship and hymn singing, as well as opportunities for recitals and choral festivals for the entire North Coast community. The organ is being built to our specifications and will fill Christ Church with beautiful sound for decades to come.

KEGG ORGAN INSTALLATION

The venerable Christ Church pipe organ, parts of which dated to the 19th century was used for the last time on Christmas Eve, 2007 in a glorious choral Eucharist. On the first Sunday in Advent preparations for the removal of the organ and for the renovation of the sanctuary area began with a volunteer crew of parishioners who completely dismantled, cleared and stored all of the furniture and items from the sanctuary, except for the altar. The altar was lifted by a crane and moved to its new location farther forward in the sanctuary a few days later. The organ’s removal began on December 26th and was completed in early January. Construction necessary in preparation for the new organ began on January 14th. The new organ which was built in Ohio and disassembled for transport to Eureka arrived on April 22 with Charles Kegg and his installation team. Installation was completed on May 2 with voicing of it to taking place during May.

KEGG ORGAN COMPANY

Photos of the Celebration of the New Organ by Bill Walser

Photos of Organ's Arrival and Installation - Watch the Slide Show!

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VOCAL MUSIC IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PARISH'S HERITAGE

The Christ Church Choir under the direction of Betty Burton is made up of many very gifted parish members. They provide a wide variety of choral music throughout the year.

Christ Church is home to the annual Gala Rhododendron Festival Concert, held on the last Saturday night of April as part of the City of Eureka's Rhododendron Festival. This concert draws people from the entire North Coast area of California, because it offers a wide variety of music which includes pipe organ solos, choral selections, and other instrumental and vocal combinations ranging from a solo harpsichord to a symphony orchestra. The musicians are Humboldt County residents, making this concert an integral part of the local musical scene.

2008 Rhododendron Festival Concert Chorus and Brass Ensemble

Arkley Center for the Performing Arts
April 26, 2008

Douglas Moorehead, Music Director

Dr. Douglas Moorehead holds a D.M.A. degree from Stanford University with a concentration in performance practice of keyboard music. He has studied organ with Herbert Nanney and Thomas Harmon and has served on the music faculty of the University of La Verne for 8 years. He is the founder and producer of the annual Rhododendron Festival Concert, sponsored by the Eureka Chamber of Commerce. Doug currently teaches organ privately and is the Dean of the Sequoia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists as well as the Music Director and Organist of Christ Church.

Betty Burton, Choral Director

Betty has been in music education for thirty years. She has soloed with many orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has sung with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and toured with the Roger Wagner Chorale. In addition to being our Choral Director, Betty is host of the KINS Kitchen and A Taste of Wine radio programs, as well as an agent with Ming Tree Realty. She has conducted sacred choral music for over 20 years.